Lantana plant named ‘Weslamo’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lantana  plant named ‘Weslamo’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; durable, dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; and flowers that are held above the foliage in compact inflorescences and are initially yellow becoming orange and eventually dark pink in color.

Botanical designation: Lantana camara.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Weslamo’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lantana, botanically known as Lantana camara, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Weslamo’.

The new Lantana is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Südlohn, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely branching Lantana cultivars with attractive flower coloration.

The new Lantana originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2000 in Südlohn, Germany of a proprietary selection of Lantana camara identified as code number 00PL3, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Lantana camara identified as code number 00PL6, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Lantana was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany in 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new Lantana by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany since 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Lantana are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Weslamo has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Weslamo’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Weslamo’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Lantana:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Durable dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Flowers that are held above the foliage in compact         inflorescences and are initially yellow becoming orange and         eventually dark pink in color.

Plants of the new Lantana can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Lantana differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lantana are more compact than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Lantana are more freely branching than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Lantana have smaller leaves than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Lantana have more compact inflorescences         with larger flowers than plants of the female parent selection.     -   5. Flowers of plants of the new Lantana are yellow becoming         orange and eventually dark pink in color whereas flowers of         plants of the female parent selection are yellow becoming orange         in color with development.

Plants of the new Lantana can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Lantana differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lantana have more compact inflorescences         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Lantana are yellow becoming         orange and eventually dark pink in color whereas flowers of         plants of the male parent selection are orange becoming red in         color with development.

Plants of the new Lantana can be compared to plants of the Lantana cultivar Dallas Red, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Lantana differed from plants of the cultivar Dallas Red in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lantana were larger and more vigorous than         plants of the cultivar Dallas Red.     -   2. Plants of the new Lantana were more freely branching than         plants of the cultivar Dallas Red.     -   3. Plants of the new Lantana had larger leaves than plants of         the cultivar Dallas Red.     -   4. Plants of the new Lantana had larger inflorescences than         plants of the cultivar Dallas Red.     -   5. Plants of the new Lantana and the cultivar Dallas Red         differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Dallas Red         initially had yellow-colored flowers that became deep red with         development.

Plants of the new Lantana can also be compared to plants of the Lantana cultivar Balucgold, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,634. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Lantana differed from plants of the cultivar Balucgold in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lantana had larger leaves than plants of         the cultivar Balucgold.     -   2. Plants of the new Lantana had larger inflorescences and         flowers than plants of the cultivar Balucgold.     -   3. Plants of the new Lantana and the cultivar Balucgold differed         in flower color as plants of the cultivar Balucgold had         yellow-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Lantana, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Lantana.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Weslamo’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences and leaves of ‘Weslamo’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Südlohn, Germany, under commercial practice during the autumn in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 20° C., night temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranging from 3,000 to 50,000 lux. Plants used in the photographs were about 25 weeks from planting and plants used for the description were about 30 weeks from planting. Plants used for the photographs and for the description were grown in 12-cm containers. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lantana camara cultivar Weslamo. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Lantana             camara identified as code number 00PL3, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Lantana             camara identified as code number 00PL6, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two to three weeks at             20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 23 to 30 days at 20°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant summer.—About 30 to 35             days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five             weeks at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; medium in thickness; color, close             to 158A.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense to dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit.—Compact, upright and mounding plant habit;             vigorous growth habit. Freely branching habit; typically two             lateral branches develop per node; pinching enhances lateral             branch development; dense and bushy plant habit.         -   Plant height.—About 12 cm to 17 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 27 cm by 31 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 9 cm to 12 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.9 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong; flexible.         -   Texture.—Pubescent; coarse.         -   Color.—Close to 146B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 6.7 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate to obtuse.         -   Margin.—Broadly create to dentate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; coarse, rough.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 146A to             146B. Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to 146B.             Fully developed foliage, upper surface: Close to between             N189A and 147A; venation, close to 146C. Fully developed             foliage, lower surface: Close to 147A and 147B; venation,             close to 146C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 mm.             Texture, upper surface: Pubescent; coarse, rough. Texture,             lower surface: Smooth, nearly glabrous. Color, upper             surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower surface: Close to 146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Solitary tubular flowers             arranged in compact rounded axially umbels; flowers face             mostly upward or outward. Freely flowering habit with             potentially two inflorescences developing per node, each             umbel with about 15 to 22 flowers.         -   Natural flowering season.—Spring until frost in the autumn;             flowering continuous during this period.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About three to four days.             Flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Pungently malodorous to lemon-like.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, salverform, corolla             fused, four-parted; flowers sessile. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.             Depth (height): About 1.1 cm. Throat diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Tube length: About 1.1 cm. Tube diameter, base: About 1.1             mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Elongate, oblong. Color: Base, close to 5C;             mid-section, close to 22A to 22C and 33A to 33B; apex, close             to 33A to 33B and 25A to 25B.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Single whorl of four to five fused             petals. Petal lobe length: About 4.5 mm to 6 mm. Petal lobe             width: About 4 mm to 7 mm. Petal lobe shape: Obovate. Petal             lobe apex: Obtuse. Petal margin: Entire, undulate. Petal             texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             When opening, upper surface: Close to 17A, becoming closer             to between N30A to N30D and 24A. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 15B to 15D, becoming closer to between 22B             and 35C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 17A, becoming             closer to 34A to 34D, then close to 42A, then close to 51A             to 51C; color eventually fading closer to between 35A to 35B             and 26A. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 13A, then             close to 24B to 24D, then close to 26A; color eventually             fading closer to N170C to N170D. Throat: Close to between             22A to 22B and 38D; towards the base, close to 5D. Tube:             Close to 22B to 22C; towards the base, close to 5D.         -   Calyx.—Appearance: Short and narrow tubular calyx. Length:             About 2.5 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm to 2 mm. Sepal apex:             Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Sepal color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 147C to 147D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 mm.             Strength: Strong; flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close             to 146A to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Four per             flower, adnate to floral tube. Filament length: Less than             1 mm. Filament color: Close to 145D. Anther shape: Ovate;             two-parted. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther width: About             0.3 mm. Anther color: Close to 15A. Pollen amount: Moderate.             Pollen color: Close to 15A. Pistils: Quantity: One per             flower. Pistil length: About 4.5 mm. Stigma shape: Ovate to             rounded. Stigma color: Close to 145C. Style length: About             2.9 mm. Style color: Close to 145D. Ovary color: Close to             144C. Fruits: Quantity: One per flower. Shape: Spherical.             Diameter: About 6.5 mm. Texture: Glabrous, satiny. Color:             Close to 103A. Seeds: Quantity: One per fruit. Length: About             5.4 mm. Diameter: About 3.7 mm. Color: Between N199A and             N200B. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Lantana have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to 8° C. to about 30° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Lantana have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Lantanas. 

1. A new and distinct Lantana plant named ‘Weslamo’ as illustrated and described. 